Ann Coles, Ed.D., joined the Institute for Higher Education Policy (IHEP) as a senior associate in July 2008. She plays an instrumental role in expanding the organization’s growing research portfolio. Coles focuses on projects that aim to improve access to higher education around the world, particularly as it relates to school-to-college transition, best practices for access and persistence programs, guidance to state and federal officials seeking to increase opportunities for higher education, and financial aid policy improvements to help low-income and nontraditional students.

Coles served as senior advisor for college access programs at TERI, a Boston-based nonprofit promoting educational opportunities to change people’s lives. At TERI, Coles provided leadership for the organization’s national efforts to expand college opportunities for groups under-represented in higher education. Previously, Coles also served as founding executive director of both the Higher Education Information Center at the Boston Public Library, and the Pathways to College Network, a national alliance directed by TERI of over 30 nonprofit organizations and funders committed to advancing college access and success for underserved students.

Before joining TERI, Coles managed programs for disadvantaged students at a Massachusetts community college and held administrative positions with the National Scholarship Service and Fund for Negro Students and the Institute for Services to Education.

Coles serves on various national groups, including the advisory boards of the American Council on Education, College Goal Sunday, and Scholarship America. She previously served as vice chair of the College Board trustees and was a founding board member of the Council for Opportunity in Education and ACCESS, Inc., a financial aid advising and last dollar scholarship program for Boston public school students.

Coles holds a doctorate from the Harvard Graduate School of Education.